Buoyant bathing belt



May 3, G E HA|NE$ 1,856,632

BUOYANT BATHING BELT Filed Feb, 16, 1928 @im mu w 111 W E. I L

M ""llmin IN VEN TOR.

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Patented May 3, 1932 UEED STATES PATENT OFFEOE GEORGE E. I -IAINES, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO L. H. GILMER COMPANY, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY BUOYANT BATHINGBELT Application filed February 16, 1928. Serial No..254,661.

My invention is a flexible tubular bathing belt of impermeable fabricnormally held in pleats or folds extending longitudinally of the belt soas to provide a sightly or ornamental girdle of narrow width adapted forsupporting or confining a garment at the waist line and expansible byinflation to form a buoyant belt for floating the wearer in the water.

In its preferred form, the fabric ends are firmly held in pleat-ed orfolded position by the engagement therewith of straps or band sectionshaving thereon fastening means such as a buckle. The pleated ends of thefabric are preferably embedded in the straps and vulcanized or cementedthereto. The fastening means preferably comprises a buckle mounted onone strap and frictionally engaging the other strap so that thecircumference of the belt is readily variable.

The characteristic features and advantages of my improvements will morefully appear from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings illustrating embodi- 5 ments of my invention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a belt embodying myinvention with the casing of the buoyant section folded in longitudinalpleats; Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof; Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the belt with the buoyant section expanded by inflation; Fig. 4is a fragmentary top plan view of the connected ends of the belt; Fig. 5is a transverse sectional view through the belt and inflating valve;Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view through the folded casing adjacentto its juncture with one of the straps; Fig. 7 is a transverse sectionalview illustrating a modified form of pleat or fold; Fig. 8 is atransverse sectional view of a further modified form of pleat or fold;Fig. 9 illustrates the appearance and a suitable position of the beltwhen used for sustaining or conr fining a garment; and Fig. 10illustrates the appearance and a suitable position of the belt wheninflated and used as a life preserver.

As illustrated in the drawings my improved belt is preferably made of astrip i1npermeable material, such as rubber or rubberized fabric,cemented together along its longitudinal edges to form a hollow casingor tube 1, which, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 isfolded longitudinally of the length of the belt to form pleats 2, 3 and4:, which are retained normally in folded position and have their endsclosed by blocks or pads 5 and 6 of the straps 5 and 6, the longi:tudinal seam of the tube being preferably concealed between the pleats.The straps are preferably made of rubber or rubberized fabric so thatthe ends of the pleats may be embedded and vulcanized therein. It will,however, be understood that the ends of the tube may be otherwise sealedand the pleats retained in folded position by snaps, bands, etc.

The strap 5 has a buckle 7 secured thereto by a rocking clamp 8, thebuckle being provided with the slots 9 and 10 for the passage of thestrap 6 for connecting the ends of the belt together in readilyadjustable relation.

A valve 11 is set in the wall of the pleat 2 and the passage of airtherethrough is controlled by a rotary stem 12.

Instead of forming pleats of the accordion type as shown in crosssection in Fig. 6, the tube may be folded as a box pleat, as shown incross section in Fig. 7 in which the plications 13 are tucked betweenthe outer laminae 14 and positioned in such relation by end fasteningssuch as 5, 6. Or the pleating may consist of a simple fold consisting ofplications 15 and 16 as in Fig. 8. The tube may be suitably creased orpressed so as to cause it to normally retain its folded form whendeflated either during the manufacture of the fabric or after completionof the belt.

As shown in Fig. 9, the pleated belt may be readily passed through loopson a garment to support or confine the latter, and the garment loops aidin maintaining the folded relation of the tube walls. Or the belt may beinflated, as shown in Fig. 7, to form an expanded bladder and used as alife preserver or aid in floating or swimming.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A buoyant bathing belt having a hollow section with exposed pleatsextending longitudinally of the length thereof, means cbmprising blocksof hardened plastic tending toretain said pleats in folded relation, andmeans whereby said hollow section may be inflated to expand said pleats.

2JA buoyant bathing belt having a hollow section With externalplications folded from each edge and extending longitudinally of thelength thereof and having straps fixed to the folded-ends of said hollowsection, said 10 hollow section being adapted for inflation between saidstraps to form a buoyant belt.

3. ,A buoyant bathing belt comprising a longitudinally pleated hollowsection having ends embedded in folded relation in and sealed by endmembers, said end members tending to'retain said belt inpleated-position, and means for detachably coupling together saidendmembers.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set 7 go my name this 13th day ofFebruary 1928.

GEORGE E. HAINES.

